Another - What is this?

[Kyle Kubs]

This, switch/sensor/whatchamacallit, was clipped onto the cold refrigerant line of the A/C condenser on yesterdays house. This is a first for me, never seen one before. It kind of looks like a thermostatic switch to me. It was wired into the unit, I don't know what it was wired to.

Anybody familiar with this? What is it for? Why would it be in use on this particular unit? What does it mean that it is there?

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[Erby]

Given the look of it I'd guess that it's a temperature sensor of some sort for a control purpose, but danged if I know why.

Old or newer unit.

[Chad Fabry]

It may control a variable orifice expansion valve to prevent the evaporator from icing up.

[StevenT]

Ditto Chad.

[Kyle Kubs]

Interesting. Are these fairly common? This is the first I've ever seen. Sounds like something that would be used to compensate for.. an undersized evaporator coil???

It's an older Goodman unit (1994) - The house did have a single main return that looked a bit undersized and then all the room doors were tight to the carpet...